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This week, host Charles Nix sits down with Steffi Marty, the Global Director of Brand Identity and Design for Mars Snacking. If that sounds abstract, you probably know the brands she oversees: the Mars Bar, Snickers, Skittles, and M&M's. Charles and Steffi collaborated on a new typeface for M&M's, released last year, and the two discuss the joys and challenges of managing such beloved and personal brands, why typography is crucial to that, and what she calls a "ruthless discipline to weed out the things that are unnecessary.” Heading to SXSW? Don't miss a live recording of this very podcast! Join us March 13 at 3pm; register here: mntype.co/sxsw

You’ve probably heard something about it, but just in case you missed it: our 2024 Type Trends report is finally here! And good news: this week on Creative Characters, you can tune in to hear even more about it.   Join Type Designer Jordan Bell and Creative Type Director Damien Collot as they discuss their experiences curating this year’s report, guide you through the trends that moved them, and discuss the projects they admired. Take a plunge into the styles that shaped the typographic landscape this past year and find out more about what sets them apart. Who knows, you might fancy something a little bit deformed? Or perhaps you’ll welcome a return to serifs? Maybe you’ll crave a little bit of Everythingallofthetime! Listen up — this is what type is telling us as 2024 begins. Enjoy!   If you haven’t done so already, download the report at monotype.com/type-trends-2024 — and if you’re keen to hear more about it, be sure to sign up for our webinar on March 21, 2024!   

We're closing out 2023 by spotlighting three amazing type studios from different corners of the world — and three of our favorite hosts.  This week, Charles Nix, Phil Garnham, and Tom Foley each selected a type designer they admire to bring on the show: Stephen Nixon of ArrowType; Alja Herlah, Directress & Lead type designer at Type Salon; and Matthieu Salvaggio, Founder and Type Designer at Blaze Type. Three perspectives, three journeys, and three lively conversations about our favorite subject. Enjoy!

Roger Black draws from origins and evolution of type, type trend drivers, and his own career in this week’s episode with our own Charles Nix. Combining various lenses that allow creatives to see between and behind the lines of type, the two designers inspect the nitty gritty of typographic design — from machinery to wider influences of cultural shifts — and how to look backwards in order to see forward and achieve timeless and iconic type design.  Roger Black is a renowned American designer known for his extensive and influential portfolio, from editorial designs for Rolling Stone, New York Times Magazine, and Newsweek to his digital work for Barnes & Noble, the Senate, and more.

Now that the Adobe MAX dust has settled, we bring you our second annual recap of the inspiring event that brought 10,000 from around the world to Los Angeles in October. Between emotional, soul-baring presentations that went much deeper than design, to the “font connection” game at the Monotype booth, there was a palpable sense of community and connection at MAX this year. In this episode, you’ll hear from twenty or so voices, including type designers, animators, comic book designers, students, and even a specialty letterpress printer, all of whom were kind enough to share their time and their stories with us on the mic. Read more about Adobe MAX here: monotype.com/adobe-max-2023-follow-up      Follow our guests: Zipeng Zhu - instagram.com/zzdesign John Roshell - swelltype.com, comicbookfonts.com Chris Hoffman - velleitystudios.com Cam Sherrill - camsherrill.com Nubia Navarro - nubikinistudio.com Eph Gerard Cruz - instagram.com/quantumeph, xfinitycreative.com Joshua Ariza - instagram.com/joshua_ariza, joshuaariza.com Ben Levitz - instagram.com/STUDIOONFIRE, studioonfire.com Kelsey Slay - instagram.com/kelseyslaydesign 

For decades, the bright colors and bold type of Globe Poster Printing Corportation formed the cultural heartbeat of Baltimore. From R&B shows and rock concerts to boxing matches and, now, something called a Deviled Egg Pageant (?!), Globe's unmistakable style has shouted out a range of events — and brought color and electricity to the urban landscape.  Globe and its archive are now part of the Maryland College Institute of Art (MICA), and we sat down with Allison Tipton from MICA to discuss the living legacy of this landmark print shop. Check out Globe's collection online here.

Can you remember a time you had an emotional reaction to type? Have fonts ever made you feel some type of way? This week, we dive into Monotype’s scientific research on the emotional power of typography. Marie Boulanger, Senior Brand Designer at Monotype, joins as a guest and shares some of the thinking, methodology, and insights behind the global studies. You’ll also hear stories about fonts and feelings from designers, creative directors, and producers we spoke with at Brand Talks Chicago and Brand New Conference. Learn more about the research at monotype.com/typography-matters

David Berlow has been at the forefront of type design, publishing, and technology for 45 years. His impressive career began in 1978 drawing letterforms for the Haas, Mergenthaler, Linotype, and Stempel type foundries, before he went on to work at Apple, Bitstream, and later founded the Font Bureau with Roger Black.  A self-described “loose cannon” and “boat rocker,” Berlow has been at the center of type innovation for decades, consulting for companies like Apple and Google, all whilst designing some of the world’s most celebrated and recognizable fonts, including custom designs for iconic publishers such as The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Esquire Magazine and The Wall Street Journal and brands including Apple Computer Inc., Google Inc. and Microsoft Corporation.  In this week’s episode Tom Rickner, the Senior Director of the Studio at Monotype, sits down with Berlow. Fun fact: Berlow hired Rickner at the Font Bureau, kicking off his career as a type designer. You’ll hear the two reminisce, talk shop, and explore Berlow’s influences, predictions, and perspectives on mentorship and team building.   Read more about this episode and our past guests at monotype.com/podcast.   

Erwin Hines’ creative life began with an interest in architecture and urban planning but shifted to art, design, and brand building after several serendipitous events. In a time when concepts like empathy and inclusivity have become trendy catchphrases, Erwin decided to step away from agency life, where he had been actively involved with DE&I initiatives, to build his own brand, Future is Color. Erwin designs and produces intentionally crafted garments and hosts in-person events at Future is Color's mixed-use studio in San Diego, California. The brand's mission is to create space for intentional conversations about collective liberation. For more on Erwin's work and Future is Color, visit future-is-color.com.  Read more about this episode and our past guests at monotype.com/podcast.

Kent Yoshimura does a lot. And that's kinda his thing. At a young age, Kent learned that pouring himself into something artistic meant he could glimpse at mastery and then find ways to play with whatever that skill might be. Throughout his life, Kent has illustrated for children's books, recorded music for film and television, made a couple documentaries, designed immersive experiences, built a thriving business, painted numerous beautiful murals, and so much more. But what's maybe most striking is this: through all the hard work, trial and error, and eventual success, Kent's pursuit is in the joy of creating something with a community and for a community.  We're excited for you to hear his story. Read more about this episode and our past guests at monotype.com/podcast

Sarah Olin started her career as a magazine designer at a challenging time — during the 2010s, when the industry was trying to figure out its transition to digital. She stuck with magazines for over a decade, designing for major fashion and beauty publications like Allure, Glamour, and Cosmo. But she recently shifted to brand art direction and, spoiler, she likes it. As Art Director at Warby Parker, Sarah works on everything from retail design to TV commercials to fashion campaigns. Her story is one of adaptability, and with the design landscape rapidly changing, it feels fitting for the moment.

In the Before Times, working from home was often treated as a perk, or maybe a dubious accommodation for someone with a doctor’s appointment. But we know how that story unfolded following the COVID outbreak in 2020, and now remote work is the norm for creative teams all over the world. Upwork Executive Creative Director Patrick Holly joins us this week to talk about the benefits and challenges remote work presents for creatives, how he keeps his global team connected and fulfilled, and why the days of “adult daycare” and “butts in seats” should be relegated to the history books for good.